PRICE:
$9.00
IN STOCK
ARTIST
TITLE
The Funky Way Of Emil Viklický
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
VAMPI 115CD VAMPI 115CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
6/7/2011

2009 release. Emil Viklický is one of the most renowned Czech jazz musicians and composers. This focused-on-funk selection was recorded between 1975 and 1987 in Czechoslovak studios. Be it with the legendary SHQ or with Energit, accompanying Eva Svobodová, conducting a tight studio big band or collaborating with fellow Berklee College students Frisell/Driscoll/Johnson, Emil knows how to funk up his keys all the way through. Viklický began his career as a jazz musician upon moving to Prague in 1971. In 1974 he teamed up with blues rock guitarist Lubos Andrst, whose then hard rock group, Energit, had just been banned by the communist censors. Viklický significantly helped Andrst to transform Energit into a top-class instrumental jazz-rock combo, and with the group's self-titled album he also finally made his belated vinyl debut in 1975 (compiled here with the track "Ráno [Part 1, Kash Edit] [Morning]"). Another long-lasting collaboration was with the gifted jazz singer Eva Svobodová. In the mid-1970s Viklický provided her with a backing trio and also composed a lot of original material for her. The fruits of Viklický's broad activities was a one-year scholarship to study composition and arrangement at Boston's Berklee College of Music in 1977/78. In the US he was exposed to all flavors of contemporary jazz while jamming with numerous top musicians. Back home, some of his fellow students visited him in Prague in summer 1979: Bill Frisell, Kermit Driscoll and Vinnie Johnson. Also featured on this collection is his previously-unissued big band versions of some of his best jazz-funk tunes which he arranged and conducted. These were taped between 1979 and 1987 with members of various Czech jazz orchestras. A perfect introduction for Czech jazz with groove, with one of the masters: Emil Viklický. Extensive notes by Lukás Machata.